Set in Amber

Chapter 1: A Friend in Need

Morgan Library Café. Wednesday, November 8, 2006.

Raquel LaRoque studied Neal as she took a sip of espresso. "You rewrote the playbook. I thought you'd be chained to the Bureau for several more years. How did you secure your freedom?"

The last time Neal had seen the sultry brunette was in her Venetian boutique last January. When she contacted him, requesting a meeting, he leaped at the opportunity. This would be his first chance to test his new cover. He'd left the FBI a month ago. How much did Raquel know and how had she found out? Was she now conducting a fishing expedition out of idle curiosity or did she have something else in mind?

Raquel had suggested meeting at the café of the Morgan Library. It was the same location they'd used over a year ago when she wanted him to retrieve a stolen ancient Egyptian statue. Did she realize the Morgan now had an additional significance for him?

"I took advantage of an opportunity that came my way in the summer," he said, deliberately keeping his answer as vague as possible. "Secrets can be as valuable as ancient Egyptian treasures."

A smile quirked her lips. "Did you loot a tomb?"

"In a manner of speaking. Corrupt politicians pay handsomely to keep their secrets buried."

When Neal began working at Winston-Winslow, he and Henry discussed how to modify the standard con Neal had been running. No longer could he claim that he was being forced to work at the FBI. But last summer they'd exposed the corrupt politician who'd had his hooks into Neal's father since Neal was three years old. Few knew the precise details of what had occurred. Neal could claim that he'd bargained his freedom in exchange for not going public with the sordid details.

Raquel was an Egyptologist by training, but she found trading in antique jewelry much more lucrative. She supplemented her income by fencing artifacts. She should appreciate Neal's negotiating skills.

"Handsomely indeed," she said with an appreciative nod. "You used to live in a loft apartment. Now, if my sources are correct, you're remodeling an entire floor of one of the last privately-owned Manhattan mansions." She cocked an eyebrow as if challenging him to deny it. But he wasn't about to.

"My old quarters were a bit cramped," Neal said calmly, not expressing any surprise or curiosity about her source. He was sure he already knew. Earlier in the year, Alex had demonstrated that she kept close tabs on him. She occasionally used Raquel's fencing services.

"One thing puzzles me, though," Raquel said.

"Only one?"

She smiled. "For the moment. That insurance recovery agent you're dating—Sara Ellis. You're marrying her?"

"Is that why you picked this location to meet?" Their wedding would be held a week from now at the Morgan Library. "Would you like an invitation?"

She hesitated only for a moment. "Does Sara know about us?"

"Yes, not that you and I were ever an item."

"But we could have been," she said in a sensual murmur.

That boat sailed long ago. "I value our friendship too highly," he said diplomatically. She could make of that what she wished.

She propped her chin on her upraised hand and stared into his eyes. "Amis-amants could be entertaining."

"It would be, but Sara is the only amie-amant in my life." Henry and Sara had agreed with his tactic to stick to the truth as closely as possible. Alex realized that Neal was in love with Sara when they conned Wilkes. She'd likely kept Raquel informed about Sara. "Did you come to New York just to ask for a wedding invitation? Delighted as I am to see you, you could have called. Or do you have another reason for being in New York?"